


Excuse Me

by Ghostinthehouse



Series: Demon and Angel Professors [104]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Professors, Disabled Crowley (Good Omens), Gen, Mentioned Gabriel (Good Omens)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2020-07-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:42:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25226992
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ghostinthehouse/pseuds/Ghostinthehouse
Summary: Crowley was waiting for the lift when a polite voice behind him said, "Excuse me, I'm a little lost."One Shot
Series: Demon and Angel Professors [104]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1412962
Comments: 76
Kudos: 870
Collections: Aspec-friendly Good Omens





	Excuse Me

Crowley was waiting for the lift when a polite voice behind him asked, "Excuse me, can you tell me how to get to the Theology offices? I'm a little lost."

Crowley turned his head from where he slouched against the wall. "Top floor. On the right. We're between Theology professors though, so if that's who you're looking for..."

The man's smile brightened from wryly self-deprecating to grateful. "No, no, that's fine. I'm the, ah, replacement." He shifted the bag slung on his shoulder, and ran a hand through his dark blond hair, accidentally demonstrating why it was so tousled.

Crowley gave him a long look, almost a scowl, as he studied him. He was older than the usual students, perhaps early thirties, dressed much like Crowley himself in jeans and an open jacket over a shirt. His colour scheme was lighter though, blues and yellows, rather than black and red. "You are, are you?"

"Afraid so. I gather my predecessor was a bit of a jerk?" The man seemed unfazed by Crowley's scowl. Clearly he either hadn't heard the usual rumours, or hadn't connected them to the skinny professor in front of him. "They told me when they hired me I was going to have a lot of goodwill ground to make up."

"You could put it that way," Crowley muttered, as the lift arrived.

The man eyed the lift. "Room for another one in there or shall I take the stairs?"

Crowley sighed through his teeth and jerked his head for the man to get in.

"Thanks!" He slid through the doors and tucked himself in the opposite corner.

Crowley snapped, "Don't thank me."

"Oops, sorry." He cocked his head on one side as the lift doors closed behind them. "Can I ask how the previous professor managed to annoy so many folk? D'rather not make the same mistake."

Crowley hesitated.

The man shrugged. "No's an acceptable answer."

"Yeah, s'ok. Trying to find words. He was - very sure that his way was the only right way."

"Oh. Tried to push it on everyone else, did he?"

"Yeah." Crowley's hands tightened on the rail as the lift jolted upwards.

"Well, you won't get that from me." The man grinned, open, relaxed, and cheerfully bright. "I gave up on telling people how to think when I was, like, eleven. I prefer the world in all its messy variety - it's really cool finding out other people's ideas and experience, and such. I like learning how things work. Everyone's living in a slightly different world, really, 'cause you see it through the lense of your own past experience, and that's different for everyone. Talk to a thousand people, and you get an insight into a thousand worlds." He hooked his thumb over the strap of his bag. "But don't worry. I won't pry."

"See that you don't," Crowley grumbled, but he was reluctantly coming to the conclusion that he liked what he'd seen of this man. Still, Gabriel had been able to turn on the charm too, when he wanted to. He wasn't about to let his guard down just yet, even if this new Theology professor did seem very different from his predecessor. It remained to be seen if 'different' meant 'better.' "Why here?" he probed cautiously.

"Oh, I like a challenge," the man said blandly, as if this were a formal interview.

Crowley rolled his head in lieu of rolling his eyes and the man laughed, clear, delighted, and unashamed.

"Oh, all right then. I was hoping to move closer to my long distance partner, and then this position opened up right in the town they live in. So, I stuck my neck out for it, and here I am. Better?"

"More honest, at least."

"Fair enough."

The lift chimed and the doors opened at Crowley's floor. "My stop," he explained shortly, and sauntered out with his hands tucked in his pockets. "See you around, I guess."

He didn't look round to watch the other man go.

**Author's Note:**

> Introductions next time!


End file.
